my main special interest is dogs!
if they aren't socialized properly, dogs can be afraid of people who walk/stand/act differently than normal people. dogs tend to also be nervous about people who stare directly at them (which you might be doing if you're afraid of them) (like my rescue dog is--sometimes i wish i could tell people to leave her alone!), especially if you're otherwise motionless--that is VERY threatening in dog body language.
when you're around dogs, try to act relaxed instead of trying to overexagerate confidence. walk "fluidly", don't be stiff, don't look the dog in the eye, and just turn away from the dog if it starts barking at you, or even if you notice that it starts staring at you. breathe deeply and calmly. yawning while turning away can also help, as it signifies to the other dog that you're trying to ease the tension. if a dog comes up to you to try to solicit attention, try very hard not to pet it on the head, especially if it's a strange dog, because most dogs don't actually like that. instead pet him on his chest or just above his tail, on his butt. : P
hope this helps! also, remember that most "aggression" is usually fear, especially if they're barking at you and trying to look tough.
23 Jun 2010, 11:07 pm
